The lack of sponsorship for numerous teams in the Sprint Cup garage is further proof that NASCAR is not immune to the economic recession. Some of NASCAR’s top organizations are experiencing sponsorship issues. In the 1990’s and even early 2000’s, sponsoring a NASCAR team was actually a bargain. Proctor and Gamble and its Tide brand sponsored a NASCAR team from 1987 to 2005 before pulling out. After Chip Ganassi Racing merged with Dale Earnhardt Inc., they had hoped to field four full-time teams. The team is trying to remain optimistic.